The Acceptance of Maya Fey
by UhhhhMelissa
Summary: Edited and revised so please read! Accepting her was not such an easy task, no it was going to take awhile. But that is something Phoenix is willing to wait for. Phoenix x Maya   Lots of Spoilers for all games


**The Acceptance of Maya Fey**

"A day without a murder case to solve and a without a client to defend is my only time for a vacation," said a very exhausted man in a blue suit who was around his mid to late twenties. This man was sitting in a spiral chair positioned near a desk with papers strewn about it and a golden name plate at the front right corner that read 'Phoenix Wright: Defense Attorney.' The man, Phoenix, spun around in his char and faced the wall behind the desk, it had a small collection of framed newspaper articles on it. He let his eyes wander across the wall until he came to a certain clipping that caught his trained eye. The headline read 'Famous Attorney Mia Fey Murdered' in big black bold letters. His eyes softened a bit as he recalled the events of that fateful day almost four years ago.

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Mia Fey was Phoenix's mentor and beloved friend. That day when he entered the office of Fey and Co. the smell of blood loomed heavily in the air and at that point he immediately knew that something was wrong. He ran down the hallway cautiously , afraid of what he might find. As he ran through the poorly lit hallways, unconsciously screaming Mia's name, the smell of blood became more powerful and more distinct. His suspicions were confirmed when he opened the door to Mia's office, the sight before him sends shivers down his spine even today. On the floor right in front of him, sitting down, slumped over, head bowed, was the dead body of Mia. In that moment he couldn't move. He couldn't breath, he couldn't blink, all he could do was stare. When that moment of breathless time passed , he was by her side in an instant, screaming for her to wake up. He checked for a pulse…. None. A silent tear fell down his face as he felt the last of her warmth leave her body, and he knew his mentor was gone. A small noise came from beside Mia's body and startled Phoenix. He peered over the motionless body and what he saw was unbelievable because he had not noticed it before. Curled into a ball was the small frame of a girl, who appeared to be around the age of seven-teen or eight-teen.

He left Mia's body and walked to the girl and shook her to let her know of his presence. She lifted her head and looked at Phoenix for a moment and then, breathlessly, she fainted. He was surprised at the turn of events to say the least as he picked the girl up and carried her to the couch in the waiting room of the office where he gently set her down. As he walked back towards Mia's body he realized that this would be as good of a time as ever to check for some evidence on who killed Mia, after all the police might need a bit of help. Phoenix checked around the body and found the murder weapon, a clock shaped like 'The Thinker' it was covered in the victims blood so it was hard to say that this wasn't the murder weapon. There was also shattered pieces of glass around her obviously from the glass lamp that once stood in the corner. He scanned Mia's body one last time and that's when he saw it, a small piece of paper with red writing on it which Phoenix suspected was Mia's blood. He picked it up as it fell out of Mia's hand and held it close. He hesitated for a moment before beginning to read the words written in blood.

'This is it, Mia's last words, it could be big clue as to whom did this,' he opened up the scrap of paper and in red writing was the word, or rather name MAYA. That's when he realized it was time to call the police. He walked away and picked up the phone… the line was dead. Hanging up the phone he heard a terrible screech that sounded like it came from a woman, it came from… Outside the window? He looked out the window to the Gatewater Hotel which was located right across from the Fey and Co. office and there a woman stood on the phone screaming, "MURDER! MURDER!"

Phoenix ran out of the room and back to where he had left the mysterious girl on the couch. But when Phoenix returned the girl was gone from where he had last left her. He searched the room and found her awake from her unconscious state and standing near Mia's desk. Her eyes widened as she caught sight of the paper in Phoenix's hand.

"That paper…" The girl began.

"Oh this?" Phoenix said as he opened the piece of paper to show the girl "I found it in Mia's hand. Although I'm not exactly sure what it means…"

"That's my name," The girl interrupted.

"Your name?" Phoenix questioned.

"Yeah… My name is Maya… Maya Fey," the girl, Maya, explained.

"Wait a minute, you said your last name was Fey?" Phoenix was now more confused then ever. "Does that mean you and Mia are… were related?"

"Yeah Mia was my older sister," Maya said now teary eyed. "She told me to come here so I could hold onto some evidence for her. It was suppose to be somewhere inside the clock, the one that looks like 'The Thinker.' Then when I got here she was… gone and the clock was empty."

Jus then the cops came barreling through the door, they ran around the building into every room securing them as the went. After a night of long interrogation Maya was arrested as the prime suspect due to the paper with her name on it. Phoenix was in utter disbelief, he couldn't believe the girl he just had a conversation with could have killed Chief. He decided that in the morning he was going to see her in the Detention Center.

"So you're the Chief's sister, right?" Phoenix asked.

"Yup I'm Maya Fey a seven-teen year old spirit medium, all the females in the Fey family have been," She seemed more cheerful then the previous day.

"So does that mean Mia was one too?" All Maya did was nod her head. Phoenix was surprised to learn something like this about his mentor. "Wait if you are a spirit medium that means you can call back Mia's spirit? I could ask her who killed her, this case would be open and shut!"

At this statement Maya's eyes hit the ground, "I'm sorry, I'm just a trainee I can't contact spirits yet."

Phoenix knew that would have been to easy. "There's no need to worry, I'll defend you in court tomorrow!"

"…My sister told me that you were still a rookie, told me not to trust you if I was ever in trouble. She called you an amateur." Maya said as she began to write something down on a piece of paper. "But if you could, would you go to this address for me and ask him to be my lawyer?"

To make a long story short, Phoenix went to visit this guy, Mr. Grossburg and asked him, which he declined so Maya had no other choice but to accept Phoenix as her defense attorney. Phoenix soon learned that his child hood friend who had gone missing when they were nine, and the whole reason he had become a defense attorney, Miles Edgeworth, was going to be his opponent on the prosecution side. Phoenix had heard countless stories about his childhood friend being a prosecutor that everyone feared, that would do anything for a guilty verdict and that meant cheating as well and Phoenix knew he was in for a fight for his, well Maya's life. During the trial Phoenix dug holes and got out of them but then, when he dug the biggest one of them all and everything in Phoenix's mind seemed to fall apart Maya's emotion got the better of her and her powers erupted from a hidden place inside of her summoning Mia into her body. Now that Mia was on Phoenix's side he found every hole in each person's testimony and in the end Maya was declared innocent. As the trial come to an end so did Mia's time in her sisters body and she left without uttering a sound.

"Nick!!" Maya called out to Phoenix. Yes she somehow adopted calling Phoenix, Nick. "Nick!! You did it! I can't believe you actually did it!" Maya screamed as she threw her arms around Nick and gave him a hug.

"So Mia's gone?" Phoenix asked suddenly.

"Yeah I still couldn't believe that I channeled her but I guess it was just a fluke of luck," Maya explained. "But she did leave this behind," She said as she pulled out a piece of paper from the pocket of her yukata and handed it to Phoenix. Phoenix took the paper and read it.

Dear Phoenix,

I need to talk to you meet me at Fey and Co. Law Offices at 5pm.

Mia

Phoenix looked at the paper disbelievingly. How could he meet a woman who was dead? Although after the events over the past few days, anything can happen. He decided not to dwell on it to much and pushed it to the back of his mind.

At 5pm Phoenix entered the building it was dark, like the day of the murder. Phoenix scanned the premises and saw a figure standing by Mia's desk.

"…Mia?" Phoenix called out.

"No silly Mia's gone, It's me," came a familiar voice.

"May… Maya?" Phoenix questioned turning on the lights. It was Maya with her black hair, brown eyes and weird purple yukata. " I thought I was meeting Mia here."

"Really because she told me to meet you," Maya explained which left Phoenix confused. "She told me that you're going to need some help!"

"Help…. Help with what?" Phoenix had no idea where this was conversation was going.

"Duh! With the new Phoenix and Co Law office," Phoenix was speechless. "Mia said help you so I guess that makes your assistant. Come on together we can make it big!" Maya exclaimed as she put her hand out in front of her. And then Phoenix unwillingly put his hand on top of Maya's, almost as if someone took his hand and forced him to do it… almost as if…. Mia

And so he accepted Maya as his new assistant.

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Phoenix sighed, that was the fateful day Maya became his assistant, sometimes he regrets his choice, but overall, he was happy to have accepted such a rambunctious girl as a helping hand. Phoenix's mind was now in a rush remembering everything that has happened since then. His mind came to a halt at a particular memory. It was one of his more stranger of ones.

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This case was a most interesting one because the defendant, Phoenix's client, was none other then Prosecutor Miles Edgeworth. Phoenix knew that his childhood friend wasn't capable of committing murder but proving it was something different. Actually it was impossible, if it wasn't for that dumb bird mentioning the DL-6 incident, a case that had happened years before which should have had nothing to do with the current case. If it wasn't for Maya asking the dumb bird 'Is there anything we're forgetting Polly?' When they were about to leave then Miles would have been arrested and Phoenix would have lost his first case, which wasn't what he was worried about. And then during the trial when Phoenix had given up all hope Maya had helped him by objecting to one of the key witnesses testimony and then cheering Phoenix on, but as a result she was held in contempt of court. And then after all this Maya had the nerve to say she was not useful to Phoenix at all. This trial was even more fierce then his ones with Miles because this time he was going up against Miles' mentor, Manfred Von Karma, with his 40 years of a perfect win record.

Phoenix got Miles off the hook but Von Karma didn't look shaken. That's when Von Karma's true intentions were revealed as Miles pled guilty to another crime, that of his fathers murder almost 15 years back, the DL-6 incident. That's when Phoenix realized that that was his plan from the beginning to get Miles in jail for a crime he didn't even commit. Now to top it all off Maya is bringing up the fact of her being of no use… again.

"I'm not very useful am I?" Maya complained again for the millionth time that night.

"Don't say that Maya, you've helped me with a lot of things," Phoenix said caringly.

"Oh yeah, name one?" Maya retorted.

Phoenix appeared to be deep in thought. "Well there was… um uh… yeah."

"See you cant even come up with one thing!" Maya whined. It wasn't that Phoenix couldn't come up with anything it was the fact that his concentration was on the file cabinets in front of him. Both him and Maya were looking for more information on the DL-6 incident. When Phoenix finally found what he was looking for, the court records. He opened it up and to Phoenix's relief everything he needed was still inside.

"What are you doing in here? Who permitted you to enter?" a maniacal voice came from behind both Phoenix and Maya. They both turned around to see their worst fear at that moment. Manfred Von Karma with a taizer in hand armed and ready. "I believe you have something that belongs to me, hand it over NOW!" Von Karma said as he came at Phoenix with his weapon.

"Nick! Run!" Maya screamed as she launched herself in front of Phoenix and taking the blow of the taizer. Before Phoenix could blink Maya was on the ground unconscious. That's when Von Karma charged at Phoenix and then he blacked out.

When Phoenix awoke he looked around. Maya was still out cold and lying on the ground by his feet with a bag clutched in her unrelenting grip. Phoenix bent down to shake Maya awake.

"Maya, Maya wake up," Phoenix said as he shook the girl awake. She quietly stirred as Phoenix grabbed the item that laid tightly fisted in her hands. Upon further inspection Phoenix found it was a bag with the coding DL-6 incident etched on it. Inside the bag was a bullet that was removed from the victim in this case, Gregory Edgeworth.

_Maya she must have grabbed this piece of evidence when she protected me from Von Karma. _Phoenix smiled. "Good job Maya what would I ever do without you." Phoenix whispered.

The bullet that Phoenix pulled out of Maya's grasp turned out to being the key to winning the trial, it put everything together and pulled out the real culprit. Yes he was standing in the courtroom that very day, and it was none other then Manfred. He had had some personal grudge against Gregory and found that to be the only way of solving it.

After the trial though Maya laid down the bad news at the train station after Phoenix rushed over there because he received a note from Maya about her leaving.

"Nick… I'm going back home…. To Kurain Village," Maya looked to afraid to meet Phoenix's question gaze.

"But Maya.. Why?" Phoenix stood in disbelief.

" I feel I am of no use here… and besides I have been shirking my responsibilities as a medium. I need to go back and train to become the new master of the village," Maya said trying to sound like her old chipper self but was failing miserably.

"Of course you're useful!… I wouldn't have been able to win this case without you!" Phoenix tried to encourage her, reaching into his pocket and pulling out the bag that contained the bullet that she had wrestled away from Von Karma.

"What's that?" Maya questions. "The bullet you used in court?"

"It's something from the DL-6 incident… Something I found in your hands after Von Karma attacked us. Something you did that was the most useful thing ever," Phoenix said with a genuine smile.

"I did that? I saved that from Von Karma?" Maya asked Phoenix smiled and nodded.

"See without you I would have never been able to finish this case, you saved both me and Edgeworth," Phoenix pointed out.

" Fine then I'll go back to Kurain Village to finish my training as a medium and come back that way I can helped you with your work more." Maya said now teary eyed. "that way I can be more useful!" Maya exclaimed. A small goodbye was exchanged and a quick hug. And then she was gone from his life for a whole year.

And that's when Phoenix accepted Maya's insecurities.

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When Maya left for that year Phoenix fell into a slump and didn't accept any cases. Well there was that one case with Ema and Lana Skye but he accepted that for an entirely different reason. And then she entered back into his life as he found himself defending her again against the whip happy Franziska Von Karma, Manfred's daughter who might not have been as scary as he was but boy… did her whip hurt. It turned out Maya was innocent, as Phoenix had suspected all along and she was free to go once again. How many more cases would Maya have to go through before they all realized that she isn't one to take the life of another.

And then that's when it happened. The call, the 2-way, the kidnapping and the condition.

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It was the night of the award ceremony at the Gatewater hotel for the National Super hero event. Maya wanted to go and of course dragged Phoenix and Pearl, Maya's eight year old cousin, to the show (Maya is a big fan of the Nickel Samurai a popular TV show for children). After the show there was suppose to be a conference where the Nickel Samurai was going to reveal a secret, but before that happened there was another surprise… if you could call it that. It was the murder of another hero, the Jamming Ninja, or better yet Jaun Corrida. The suspected was apprehended and arrested his name was Matt Engarde who was the Jamming Ninja's rival, the Nickel Samurai. As Phoenix began investigating a strange butler type waiter entered the room and was requesting Maya to follow him because she had a phone call. Phoenix, Maya and Pearly all thought nothing of it so Maya went on her way and the other two kept investigating. It had only occurred to them after sometime of investigating that Maya had been gone for quite sometime . At that time one of Phoenix's old friends, Max Powers, had come to Phoenix with a 2- way. Phoenix hastily grabbed the device not quite knowing the reason for it. And as soon as it was in his hands the voice sounded from the other end.

"Mr. Phoenix Wright I presume?" The voice on the other end said, it sounded low and conniving.

"Ye-Yes this is he?" Phoenix was scared at what was to come.

"I believe I have something of yours… lets call it your precious item," The voice spoke again. "Here Ill let you listen for yourself." A noise came through the speaker that sounded like him moving the speaker away from his mouth, and then and all to familiar scream.

"NNNNNNNNNNNNIIIIIIIIIIIICCCCCCCCCCCCCKKKKKKKKKK," and then it was gone. At that moment it was as if time stopped and the world cam crashing down on Phoenix. He couldn't breathe he opened his mouth to speak but nothing came out. It was as if he had entered and alternate reality and it wasn't until Pearl shook him did he return, hoping it was all a bad dream that he would wake up from. But alas to no avail.

"What do you want from me?" Phoenix finally spoke his voice cold.

"Well you see an innocent person has been arrested and I just want to make sure he isn't charged with a crime he didn't commit. So Mr. Wright, I want you to defend him," the voice explained as Phoenix listened very intently. "You see if you get a not guilty verdict then your precious item will be free to go… But mark my words if he becomes guilty then your item… well lets just say it will no longer exist. Do not go to the cops because I will kill her!" And with that the line went dead.

To make things more intense Phoenix's arch rival was back… but this time fate has played him on Phoenix's side… or was he? Only time would tel. Mia was also going back and forth between Maya and Pearl being channeled by both and delivering messages trying to find something to help figure out where Maya was being held captive. After the first day's trial Shelly Da Killer, the one who kidnapped Maya, contacted Phoenix again.

"I thought I said I wanted a not guilty verdict on the first day now we're going into our third! I don't care if you figured out that Engarde was actually guilty!"

"Please just give me one more day! That's all I need to prove his innocence!" Phoenix pleaded with the killer.

"Fine one more day, but that is it!" And then the line went dead.

To make matters worse, that night Phoenix found that even though Engarde was not the murderer he was the one who hired De Killer to do his dirty work.

Phoenix withdrew the note from his pocket that Maya had writen to him while being held captive during a recess of the second's day trial.

_I thought you'd come. I knew you would. Now listen up! You'd better get Engarde a __guilty sentence, OK!? If you get that creepy slime bag a not guilty, I'll never forgive you, ever! I'm fine so you don't need to worry. … There's so much I want to write, but I don't think I have a lot of time left. Pearly you're there too, right? Make sure you help Nick, Ok? Someone's gotta watch out for that helpless lunk. … Um that's it for now Nick. Guess I'll be seeing you…_

A pang of guilt surged through Phoenix's body and he knew from here on out every move he made was either going to make or break Maya. And it tore Phoenix apart on the inside and out. Phoenix knew that Edgeworth was on his side because he was the one who found out that she had been stationed at Matt Engarde's house and he also kept the trial going. Phoenix went into the court room with a heavy heart knowing he might not be able to save Maya.

The trial was a long well fought one where both Phoenix and Edgeworth pulled the right evidence to keep the trail going and making it impossible for the judge to call a verdict. But like everything good it had to come to and end and Phoenix had to make a decision, Maya's life or putting an innocent person in jail. Phoenix couldn't do it he couldn't have Maya die and he couldn't do the latter. That was when his guardian angel of the day came bursting through the court doors, and it was the last person he thought would save him, Franziska Von Karma bringing the evidence that would solve everything. And it did just that, it put Engarde behind bars and saved Maya's life at the same time. Yes Phoenix was more then happy to lose his first case, and he couldn't have done it without the two prosecutors he has come to trust.

After the judge declared his verdict, of course guilty like the little bastard was, Phoenix was waiting patiently in the lobby for Maya's return. Of course beside him, awaiting her big cousin's appearance was Pearl Fey. And then the doors to the court room opened revealing the pale face of his beloved assistant. Phoenix let out a breath he didn't even know he was holding as Maya half ran half wobbled to him and Pearl. Pearl was the first one to make it to Maya as Maya bent down to receive her hug but Phoenix couldn't wait for his turn and he enveloped both girls in a tight embrace. He couldn't believe it, Maya was here Maya was safe and best of all she was by his side once more.

Maya backed away from the family hug. "I'm hungry. LETS EAT! I want some hamburgers!"

And that's when Phoenix accepted Maya's bad timing.

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The phone ringing interrupted Phoenix from his thoughts startling him a little as he jumped from his chair.

"Wright and Co. Law Offices, Phoenix speaking," Phoenix said in his 'official' voice.

"Hey Nick, how are you?" came the quirky voice of the women who had been plaguing his thoughts all afternoon.

"Maya? What are you doing calling the office? You have my cell phone number," Phoenix questioned.

"… I wanted to make you think you had a case," Maya blurted out.

"You lost my cell number again, didn't you?" Phoenix out it bluntly.

"He he how did you know?" Maya asked. "On second thought don't answer that, the reason I wanted to call you is I wanted to know if you wanted to go out for hamburgers?"

"Sure I'll meet you at the usual joint in two hours," Phoenix said as he hung up the phone. And now he was left to his thoughts.

It was raining out as Phoenix and Maya walked back to the office after they finished their hamburgers. Phoenix was holding an umbrella in his hand and Maya underneath it as well as him. When all of a sudden Maya darted out from underneath the umbrella and into the rain twirling as she went.

"Maya what are you doing?" Phoenix said taken back a little.

"Nick you're such a boring old guy, haven't you ever danced in the rain?" she said as she leaned her head back still twirling.

"No I haven't now come back here before you catch a cold!" Phoenix scolded.

"Come on Nick you cant tell me you've never tasted the rain before?" Maya said as she opened her mouth to let a few rain drops fall in and closing it again.

"Maya you know how much pollution that goes through before it reaches the earth? It probably tastes like mud!" Phoenix yelled again.

"You're wrong," Maya said with a smile as she turned and ran towards the office. "IT TASTES LIKE FREEDOM!!"

Phoenix stood still unable to say a word as he watched the girl run out of sight. He turned around and marched in the direction of his apartment.

_What's with that girl? She's a strange one, but that's one of the reasons I like her so much. She's just so adorable…. Wait where did that one come from? Could I really like Maya like that? No she's just like a sister to me. _ Phoenix began to pace back and forth in his apartment until his toe met something hard.

"God damn it!" he swore as he held his paining toe. Then lightning struck in the background startling Phoenix and the lights went out.

Phoenix stood unaware what to do next when his cell phone began to vibrate and ring. He pulled it out and recognized the number right away being Maya's.

"Hello Maya," he answered his cell.

"Hey Nick, did the lights go off in your apartment too?" she asked frightened.

"Yeah it's out over here too Maya. Listen, you don't have to be afraid, the office is the same thing in the dark as it is in the light," Phoenix tried to reassure her with logic which never helped her before but he might as well try anyway.

"I'm not afraid Nick! I-I-It's just that… AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Maya screamed. And the line went dead.

"Maya?… Maya!? MAYA!!!" Phoenix screamed as his heart dropped. He grabbed his coat and grabbed his shoes and ran out the door into the storm.

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The rain beat down on Phoenix's back as he ran down the street not noticing the cars that came to a screeching halt to let him pass or that his appearance was that of a boy who just jumped into a pool with his clothes still on. But he only cared about one thing, his destination… Maya. She had a lot of bad luck befallen her, getting tried for two murder cases her sister being killed moments before her arrival to the scene. Her mother being killed before her very eyes, being kidnapped and yes even having a crazed psycho ghost after her. _With all this bad luck why not just through in the ending of her life as well? _Phoenix thought sarcastically as he came to the front of his office building. He barged in the door and of course he couldn't see anything on account of the lights were out. A flash of light caught Phoenix's eye… or more like a flash light. It was Maya and Pearl staring directly at Phoenix.

"What's wrong? Is everything ok?" Phoenix asked panicked

"You're right Mystic Maya, only two minutes," Pearl said surprised.

"What is the meaning of this?" Phoenix asked surprised as to seeing a very quiet scene and having rushed down there for what appeared to be nothing at all.

Maya stepped forward almost afraid that Phoenix might snap. "well you see Nick, after the lights went out Pearly became a little scared and I told her if there was ever a problem Nick would be over here in less then two minutes…" Maya explained. "But the problem is… she didn't believe me. So we made a bet, which might I add, now Pearly owes me five bucks. Pay up Pearly!" Maya said stretching her hand.

"I should have known better, Mr. Nick would do anything for Mystic Maya, even walk over a bed of burning coals," Pearl said as she dug into her pocket for the money stashed away in there.

Phoenix stepped forward unaware of how to act. Whether he should be angry, or relieved. As he took a step forward his foot collided with something and instead of merely stubbing his tow this time he began to fall forward. During his descent forward his body collided with something else knocking that something else over with him. As the two objects were falling the only light source, the flash light, seemed to disappear and Phoenix was completely blind to everything around him. And finally when his body hit the ground it didn't feel hard at all instead it felt sort of… soft and… lumpy. At that moment the lights flickered on and then back off, just enough time for Phoenix to notice his surroundings when the whole scene played out in front of him. Phoenix hadn't landed on the ground like he presumed he landed on something so much worse then that, he landed on, Maya. No one moved for a minute to afraid to face what was inevitable and yet they knew they would have to in the end. Phoenix taking initiative lifted his head from god knows what place on Maya. And that's when at the worse of timing the lights flickered back on and Phoenix finally saw the horrid position they were in. Phoenix's face was mere inches away from Maya's and her eyes wide with the acknowledgement of their current position as well. In a moment both of their faces were flushed a bright shade of red but Phoenix made no movements to change how they were. Instead his head slowly started making the decline towards hers. Phoenix's eyes were closed as were Maya's when Phoenix finally regained his senses and realized what he was doing. He opened his eyes moments before their lips met and he could feel her cool breath on his face but, instead of closing the gap he picked his self up and off of Maya.

"I'm sorry," Phoenix said eyes never meeting Maya's and with that he grabbed his coat and exited the office leaving a giggling Pearl standing by the door and a dumbfounded Maya still on the ground.

"Mystic Maya, what are you doing?! Go after him!" screamed Pearl, again acting wise beyond her years.

"Right!" Maya said picking herself off of the floor and trudging out the door.

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"What was I thinking!?" Phoenix muttered to himself out loud. "It would never work! Me and her… we're just to different…. Almost as if we come from different worlds… And besides, I'm sure she doesn't feel the dame about me!" Phoenix smacked himself and ruffled his hair. "She's got me going so crazy I'm talking to myself."

Even though no one was out in the streets Phoenix still felt very aware of himself, now more then ever.

"I cant believe it, you're so stupid Phoenix, how could she ever like a loser like you!" Phoenix grumbled off. The rain had stopped by now and puddles had formed on the ground.

"Nick!!" a small voice called from behind Phoenix. Phoenix would recognize that voice from anywhere as he turned around eyes wide. And then there she was, running towards him, the girl on his mind… No scratch that she wasn't a girl anymore, she was a slowly blossoming woman. Phoenix was in to much of a daze to notice how close she had gotten but boy did he notice when she plowed into him and sent them both tumbling into the puddle below. Phoenix was surprised to say the least.

"Maya! What are y---" Phoenix's words were silenced as Maya's lips were forced upon his in a passionate kiss. Phoenix's eyes were wide, he knew he wanted this more then anything else at that moment and he knew it might be wrong but he couldn't help but feel so good about it and give into the kiss as he closed his eyes. Phoenix's arms snaked around Maya's back and pulled her in tight deepening the kiss as Maya put her arms around Phoenix's neck not minding that they were now drenched, Phoenix more so then her, because of the puddle they had fallen into. After a few minutes they reluctantly broke apart, gasping for breath and a moment of silence fell around them when either didn't know what to say to the other as they helped each other up. When their eyes finally met again they were locked in a gaze and in an instant Maya was in Phoenix's arms in a loving embrace.

"Nick, what will they think of us?" Maya asked. "You're so much older then I am…"

"I don't know… right now I don't know anything at this point except that I love you," Phoenix finished with his sentence with such passion that Maya knew it to be the truth as tears welled up in her eyes.

"What about Iris?" Maya asked hesitantly almost fearing the answer.

It's true Phoenix forgot all about Iris, she was Phoenix's first love but now was serving jail time for a justified crime to save Maya's life.

"Listen, I'll tell you exactly what I told her a few weeks back… Iris was my past, I need to look forward to my future, which now I hope it's a future with you." Phoenix finished. Maya was now letting the tears freely from her eyes.

"Oh Nick! I love you too!!" Maya screamed to let everyone around her hear it. Phoenix couldn't help but smile as he leaned down for another kiss.

"I know a little 11 year old girl who is going to have a ball with this information," Phoenix said in between kisses. "When do you think we should tell her?"

"Oh I don't think that will be needed, look," Maya said pointing up to the window of the office. There Pearl stood giggling like a school girl with a slight blush on her face as she waved at the two new lovers. Maya and Phoenix waved back at her.

And so Phoenix accepted Maya's kiss, he accepted Maya's love and in return gave his, but most of all he accepted Maya.


End file.
